


Cinnamon Pretzel Bites

by loki_dokey



Category: Borderlands (Video Games)
Genre: Inspired by Twitter, Late Night Conversations, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-08-08
Updated: 2019-08-08
Packaged: 2020-08-13 03:23:31
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,825
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20167345
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/loki_dokey/pseuds/loki_dokey
Summary: Based on this prompt from Twitter:Rhys just bought the last of the cinnamon pretzel bites and Jack is PISSED





	Cinnamon Pretzel Bites

**Author's Note:**

> Smut is coming. Lemme just get this out there first.

It hadn't beeen a good night. 

It was  _ supposed  _ to have been a good night. Rhys was supposed to have finally gotten down and dirty with Axton from the office - he'd been planning this night out for months just for the very real possibility that he'd land his hot coworker in his bed. The flirting, the comments, the closeness; Rhys had really kidded himself that Axton had wanted him. But no. At 1:46am, he'd found Axton and Michael from accounts in a bathroom stall with Axton's dick in Michael's mouth.

He'd been at least pleased to see the absolute shock and horror on both of their faces upon Rhys slamming open the stall door.

So here he found himself. Alone, outside a pretzel shop at 2am feeling sick with shame and sick with the fact that  _ he  _ wasn't getting laid but  _ Michael  _ was.

Michael looked like a child had drawn a face on the sole of an old-ass shoe and then tried to build on that drawing with quick-drying clay. 

And failed.

Rhys really couldn't fathom how Axton had chosen  _ that  _ over  _ him.  _

Rhys was grumbling to himself, two people away from the cashier in the queue, when the door to the place flew open, announcing the entrance of whomever it was with quite a jarring bang. Everyone turned to look and Rhys quite honestly found the most gorgeous man he had ever seen standing in the entrance. He was leaner than Axton but more striking in his facial features and his black leather jacket hugged his form beautifully. He was young - maybe not much older than Rhys - and good  _ god _ , he was  _ handsome.  _ Maybe it was just the beers in Rhys' system that were making him doubly handsome but in his state, Rhys couldn't really tell. The man seemed severely pissed off and he shoved his hands into his pockets as he lined up behind Rhys, eyeing the pizzas and pretzels behind the glass as though they'd just spat in his face or kicked his dog.

Rhys kept slyly casting back glances, because it wasn't often that such an attractive stranger entered his life. He would have to make the most of it. He couldn't help but lick his lips at that jawline-

Suddenly, a loud ringtone of some downright dirty drum and bass erupted out into the shop and the queue moved forwards as the stranger answered his phone. 

"What do you want now?" Rhys smiled to himself. He even  _ sounded  _ sexy. "No. _ No,  _ Moxx. I'm  _ done _ . Stop- No! You've pushed it too far this time.  _ Stop  _ calling me."

Rhys risked another look and watched the man end the call and shove his phone back into his pocket. He lifted his eyes and spotted Rhys staring at him which of course made Rhys turn a deep shade of red and spin back to face the other way, which so happened to now be the cashier who looked very bored indeed.

"What do you want?" he asked, sniffing and gesturing at the foods behind the glass cabinet and at the board with all manner of orderable things behind him. Rhys was still reeling from being caught so it took him a few moments to ground himself. 

He already knew what he wanted. 

"Can I have a few cinnamon pretzel bites please?" he said, pointing behind the glass. He heard a noise behind him.

"That's literally all I left the goddamn house for," the man behind him snapped, smacking the glass cabinet. "And those are the last six left."

Rhys froze, lowered his eyebrows and turned, glaring at the handsome stranger.

"Have you got a problem with me placing my order?" he hissed as the man took a threatening step forward. Who  _ was _ this person?! 

"I've just had a real shit night and  _ all I want  _ are those  _ damn  _ pretzel bites." He jabbed a finger against Rhys' chest. " _ They  _ will bring me joy." Another jab. " _ They  _ will make my life less  _ shit _ ." Another jab. "And  _ you  _ strut in and  _ take them from me." _

"I….was here first?" Rhys offered. He wished he was brave enough to argue with this man with the anger he deserved but really he was tired, hungry and ready to go home. He didn't  _ need  _ the pretzel bites, but right now he wanted to buy them  _ just  _ to piss this rude guy off more. What he hadn't bargained for was the man sucking in a breath, shaking his head and stalking out of the shop. 

He clearly wasn't having the best of nights. 

"Are you done?" the cashier sighed, yawning. "Do you want anything else?"

Rhys looked at him, then at the pretzels in the bag before him. He shook his head, tossed a five dollar bill at him and raced to the door.

"Keep the change!" he called back over his shoulder. 

Finding the man who had just stormed out was easier than he'd anticipated. He was propped against the wall opposite, lighting a cigarette. He looked up at the night sky.

"Hey!" Rhys called out, looking both ways before crossing the street and hurrying over to the man who looked down and eyed him with disdain. 

"What do you want, kid?"

Rhys ignored the insulting and weird pet name and offered the bag of food to the man.

"I'm going to give you the benefit of the doubt and hope you aren't usually an asshole. But you seem to have had a really bad night so...here." Rhys moved closer. "Take these. Maybe they'll help alleviate your stress." He shrugged. "I dunno."

The handsome stranger blinked at the bag, then at Rhys, then at the bag and then up at Rhys again. 

"Did you spit on those?" he asked warily, pointing at the bag and taking a drag of his cigarette. "Cos I feel like I definitely deserve spit-on pretzels if I deserve pretzels at all."

Rhys pulled a face. "I did not  _ spit  _ on them. Ugh. No, really. Take them."

The man took another long drag of cigarette, contemplating Rhys and ignoring the bag Rhys was wafting in his direction. It was getting a little awkward.

"Uh-"

"Walk with me, pretty boy."

_ This  _ pet name got Rhys all kinds of shaken up and so he did as he was told. They walked side by side for a few minutes until they reached a small park where the man sat on a bench and patted the space beside him.

Rhys sat.

The man dropped his cigarette on the ground and crunched it with his boot. They both stared at the mangled corpse of the thing for a while until the man coughed.

"I'm Jack," he announced, offering his hand. "And I'm an asshole."

Rhys smirked. "Rhys. Opposite of an asshole. An angel, in fact, who comes bearing sugared pretzel bites."

Jack shook his head and laughed. "What is it about the middle of the night that brings people together?" He turned himself to Rhys. "Why'd you even bother finding me?"

Rhys shrugged and looked up at the stars, wanting to make himself look the most romantic and alluring he could.

He was good at that.

"I guess the middle of the night drew me to you." Keeping his head up, he lowered his eyes to Jack's and leaned in closer. "And you seem like a man in need." He watched Jack raise an eyebrow and so he raised the bag. "Of pretzels, of course." Popping it in Jack's lap, he sat back and resumed his "stargazing". He heard a rustle of paper and suddenly the bag was back under his nose. With a nod and a smile, he took a pretzel bite and bit down into it, keeping his eyes locked with Jack's. Jack watched him as he ate his own. The sugary sweetness of the food was delightful and Rhys couldn't help but let his eyelids flutter shut and a small moan escape his lips. 

" _ God _ , these are so  _ good. _ "

Jack continued to stare at him as he popped another in his mouth and then used the back of his leather sleeve to wipe away the sugary crumbs. 

"So, what's a cute thing like you doing all alone at two in the morning?" 

The blunt question caught Rhys off guard a little and he almost choked on his pretzel. He spluttered a little and chuckled.

"Oh, god. It's a terrible story of unsuccessful flirting and discovering the object of your affections face fucking the hell out of a sub-par colleague."

Rhys regretted his words as soon as he'd said them. 

_ Way to sound like a drunk, self-absorbed prick, Rhys. _

But Jack let out a huff of laughter and clapped Rhys on the back. The contact made Rhys shudder. Jack really  _ was  _ handsome.

"Damn, babe, sounds rough."

_ 'Babe'. _

"What about you? What's caused you to lose your shit at a poor, hurt Atlas employee who just wanted a bite to eat? "

Jack rubbed the back of his neck and smiled again. 

"Man. I broke up with my girlfriend last week because she's uh, a massive bitch!" He clapped his hands. "And decided to cheat on me. Today she stormed my flat demanding me back and I kicked her out while she was crying. So." He waved his cigarette in the air and frowned. "I took it out on a poor, hurt - Atlas, was it? - employee who, yes, just needed a bite to eat. And I am truly sorry for that."

Rhys folded his arms. "Oh really?"

"Actually. I'm not sorry." Rhys balked. "Because if I hadn't done what I did I wouldn't be sitting beside the most  _ delectable  _ thing I've ever seen." Jack grinned as Rhys blushed. "Maybe even more delectable than cinnamon pretzel bites. And that, my friend, is saying something." He said this as he threw one more pretzel bite in his mouth and tossed the bag at Rhys. "Really - someone turned you down tonight?"

The memory of Axton and Michael made Rhys grimace. 

"Yup."

Jack sat forward and pressed his lips against his hands. He stayed that way for a few moments, staring across the park into the darkness. 

"Well. From one hurt person to another, this night sucks. But it could suck less."

Rhys quirked an eyebrow. "Oh?"

Turning to him, Jack winked. "My place is a two minute walk around the corner."

Rhys almost squeaked

_ Fuck you, Axton. Jack clearly wants me more than you ever did.  _

"Oh! Um. Yes, I could manage a two minute walk."

Jack positively beamed and offered a hand after he stood and lit another cigarette. Rhys took his hand and stood tall, taking the cigarette that Jack offered. He took a drag and passed it back. Jack smirked and stuck his cigarette in his mouth before looping his arm around Rhys'.

"Maybe tonight is looking a lot less awful," he mused.

Rhys grinned as thoughts of Axton and Michael disappeared from his mind.

"Yeah, maybe it is."


End file.
